Portable railway track grinder



OcLVS, 1935. H- Hl TALBOYS 2,016,877

PORTABLE RAILWAY TRACK GRINDER Filed DBC. lo, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l mkv F L Q Oct. 8, 1935. Y H. H. TALBoYs PORTABLE RAILWAY TRACK GRINDER Filed Dee. 10, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 2.

Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE RAILWAY TRACK GRINDER Henry H. Talboys, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to Nordberg Manufacturing Co., `Milwaukee,` Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin This invention relates to an improvement in portable railway track grinders and especially to the type as is universally portable bo-th on and olf railway track. The form illustrated here is of y particular use along railway tracks under repairs. One object is to provide a track working tool which can be rolled along theV rails of a track or pushed along the ground. Another object is the arrangement of supporting brackets for carrying tools ahead of a barrow wheel and thereby counterbalancing the machine. Another object is to maintain the power unit on a pivot to permit of more readily leading the flexible drive shaft in any direction. Another object is to provide l5 an extension on one side of the machine to support it approximately in an upright position when either on or oif the track. Another object is to provide a sleevefor the extension support, so

that it can be telescoped into the sleeve tocoun- Figure 3 is a sectional View and detail of the.

driving pulley with an overload release and means for attachment of the flexible shaft, section being made on the line 3--3 of Figures 1 and 4.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4--4 vof Figure 2, showing an end View of the power unit with belt tightener and pivotal arrangement.-

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, I generally indicates the frame of a portable railway-track A grinder made up of two frame members having horizontal portions 2, which are bowed inward and upward at 3 and meetV a common Ycrossmember 4, to which theyv r are welded. The opposite ends of the frame I-2,are bent to form handles 5. Lugs 26 welded'on the frame I^2 provide a support for the shafts of the double conical track wheels 2'I,` these shafts having sleeves slipped over them to abut against said lugs 26 and the wheels 2'I to align them, in -the middle of the, frame [-2, `A cross,v member is welded at 6 to stifen the frame andsupport the tool box 'I and at 3 a tubular cross member 3a strengthens the frame and forms a telescope'intq which fits an extension, arm Sheld` in position by a removable pin or pins 9 in apertures 9ct-9a @15; which, upon withdrawal, will permit the extension arm 8 toybe withdrawn ,entirely or reversed or telescoped inward so as to balance the frame structure. A pin openingv at IE)l permits of locking the extension arm in its inward position when l()h matched with either of the holes 9a. The opposite end of the extension arm is provided with a roller II, of known construction, whichregisters with one rail of the track andY maybe insulated from the. rest ofI the machine to permit its being 1 5.; pushed over live track Without interference with the signaling system.

The tool-box 'I has two lugs welded' to the top of it numbered 61 which, together with` lugs I4, form a means for carrying the exible shaft when 20 not in use. l

At I2 thereare; two lugs welded to the frame I which form the support for a pneumatic barrow Wheel I3,y which isa standard product available, on the market. The shaft of this barrowl wheel 25` is bolted to the lugs- I2. inl-a substantialbut usual manner, so that asthe frame handles 5V are lifted, and the barrow wheel is depressed, part of the weight will be carried thereon. Ample clearanceV is provided around the wheel, so that it vmay 30 not be jammed by slight misalignment.

Clips I4 welded to the frame I are so spaced Athat the iiexible shaft, to be describedr later, may

t therebetween` for easier transportation, and both such clips are drilled with 'a hole I5 for a 35- pin, so that when the ilexible shaft is in place between the clips, the pin may be dropped into holes I5 to secure ythe flexible shaft.

On the cross-member 4, there vare welded two brackets Itv bent hook-shaped below t0 carry the 4CY necessary grinding toolwhen conveyed to a work location. These brackets are located well forward beyond the shaft ofthe barrow wheel I3' and withthe grinding or any other tool in place thereon tendy to counterbalance the weight of 45 the power unit.

In the center of the frame I,- the plate I'I (Fige ures 2 and 4)Y is welded on to act as a stiffener for the frame and as aplatform for supporting the power unit I 8. Drilled opening I9 in this 50 plate provides a pivotal bearing for a king pin 20, which is rigidly attached toa foundation plate 2I Vby welding or otherwise. Below the plate I1 and surrounding the king pin 2D, there is a washer 22 which is prevented from falling off bya pin 55 23 located in place in the well-known manner and penetrating a hole at right angles to the axis of the king pin 20. A plate washer 24 is located between the platform plate `I1 and the foundation plate 2| to permit of more readily turning the foundation plate 2| and the power unit I8 bolted thereto. The power unit |8 is attached to the foundation plate 2| by means of bolts 25. The king pin 20 with the pin 23, the foundation plate 2| with bolts 25, and the power unit I8 thereby become a unit assembly pivotally mounted on the washer plate 24 and prevented from upsetting by the king pin 20, washer 22 and pin 23.

Welded to one end of the foundation plate 2| are two lugs 28 set in an upright position and having holes 29 drilled through them to take a shaft 30 which forms a pivot for two vertical bars 3| to the upper ends of which is welded a pipe 32, being slotted at the top as at 33. The inside diameter of this pipe is small enough to form a clamping fit for the sleeve 34 'which forms a holder for the bearing for the shaft of the driven pulley 35.

The two uprights 3| with the tubular crossmembers 32 form a bracket to support the driven pulley 35. The lower end of this bracket, and around the shaft 30has another tube 32a welded to both vertical members 3|, so as to form a substantially rectangular unit. Welded to this lower tube is a laterally extending arm 3B which forms a rigid unit with this bracket. At a point farthest away from the pivotal shaft 30 a pin is welded as part of the extension 36 to which is attached one end of a spiral spring 31. The upper end of this spring is in hook form and hooks into the links of a chain 38. A clip 39 is provided, either welded or bolted to the frame of the power unit I8, which forms a rigid foundation for it and which is provided with a slot 40, the openings of this slot being just large enough to permit a link of the chain to enter ilatwise. By means of this arrangement, it is possible to increase or decrease the tension of the spring 31 by merely hooking any respective links of the chain 38 into the slot 40 to suit the tension required.

The power unit I8 is provided with a driving pulley 42 which is in alignment with the driven pulley 35, a belt 43 being stretched between the pulleys. The tension of this belt is controlled by a pressure tending to separate the two pulleys, which is brought about by means of a bracket 3 I, the extension 36 and the spring 31.

By entirely disconnecting the chain from the clip 39 and slot 4U, the belt tightener can be thrown toward the power unit, thereby loosening the belt so that starting of the unit is facilitated. This arrangement isnecessary to make starting of the engine reliable and easy, and brings about smoother starting of the flexible shaft. Such power units are generally started by hand. The crank for the starting of the engine illustrated is shown at 4|.

The pulley 35 in Figure 3, with bushing 44 pressed tightly therein, runs loosely on the outside of the driving shaft 45. A ring 4B fitted on the inside of pulley 35 forms a ball seat'for an overload release, generally shown as 41. This release may have two or more such balls 50, each one fitted into a slight indentation under it, this indentation matching and opposed to one in the opposite ring marked 48. The ring 48 is keyed to shaft 45, so as to drive it positively. A ball retainer ring 49 is centered on the shaft 45 and has two or more drilled openings of a diameter slightly greater than that of the balls to keep rholds one end of a flexible shaft 63.

them centrally and in alignment with the opposed indentations, in case the balls are displaced outside of said indentations provided for them in rings 4S and 48. Y

With this arrangement so far described, it will'. be seen that the pulley 35 can move laterally and. thereby cause the balls to roll out of their re-V spective indentations, and rotate easily for a fraction of a revolution without driving the shaft 45. The ring 46 is keyed to the pulley 35 by means of pins 5| to prevent its turning. It will be seen that if the pulley 35 is pressed towaithe ring 48 at a time when the balls have slipped into the indentations provided for them, the shaft' 45 can be driven as long as such pressure endures aridprovided the torque on shaft 45 is not too great".j

A/spring 55 is compressed between the washer 54 and the pulley 35. It will be seen that by changing the compression of spring 55 by means of the nut 53, varying degrees of pressure may be exerted upon the balls and thereby a varying degree of torque may be transmitted from the pulley 35 to the shaft 45. It will also be noted that this will form a reliable overload release arrangement which, when the torque on the shaft 45 becomes too great, will cause the balls to be rolled out of the indentations provided for them vand will rotateA far enough until they are seated in the next succeeding indentation in the direction Gt rotation. The pulley thereby is caused to move slightly in a lateral direction every time the balls slip into and. out of the indentations Aprovided for them. The nut 53 is provided with a locking arrangement inl the form of a setscrew or the like marked 56, which; nts into a slot in the threaded extension 52 and permits of an adjustment of the spring and the locking of the nut at each half revolution thereof.

The shaft 45 extends into a sleeve housing 34 in which are mounted a plurality of ball bearings'. At each. end of the sleeve 34 are one or more sets of these ball bearings acting as a radial bearing as well as' a thrust bearing to 'react against the tendency to jar the shaft 45 laterally out of its fixed position when the overload release is thrown into or out of engagement.

The ball bearing 51 forms a united thrust and radial bearing for shaft 45 and the ball bearing 58 forms merely a bearing. The bearing 51 is .held in place by means of a threaded screw plug 59 meshing with the thread in the sleeve 34, plug 59 being arranged with a means for locking it in place. The opposite end of the sleeve is threaded as at 60 to receive a socket 5|, provided with a locking mechanism 62 which The rotating member of the flexible shaft extends inward in the socket 6|, as at 64, by means of the usual driving arrangement, as at 65, and transmits the motion of the shaft 45 to the shaft 54. The flexible shaft and its connecting units are part of a device readily available on the market and need not be described further, as these do not form part of this invention.

'I'he opposite end of the exible shaft may be attached to any form of grinding tool. The particular tool shown generally as 66 in the present instance is the cup wheel grinding attachment in which the grinding wheel is adjustable in a vertical direction. As this does not form part of the present invention, it is not further described.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the IIB presentV machine is ai general utility power: plant which-.mayride onrthe rails of a track Yor may be wheeled. from onef track to another or along"ia Vsite'on which a track. is later to be located. Any

tool requiring rotary motion may be attached i to the end of the flexible shaft, such as grinders,

bits, low powered wrenches, etc. The engine being pivotally connected to the frame ofthe machine permits the use of a short and inexpensiveflexiblei shaft, inasmuch as the power unit will turn to suit the direction in which the power isto be led. Furthermore, by avoiding bends and twists. of the flexible shaft, its life is considerably enhanced. The power unit may be turned on the frame of the machine in such adirectionas will facilitate the laying of the. flexible shaft on it without bending the shaft excessively.

Space is provided on this machine for carrying of such small tools as are most generally 'needed by the operator. The power unit may be turned on the frame in such a direction that. the starting handle for the engine may be in the most convenient position.

When the extension arm 8. is telesccped into the sleeve 3, it will form a support for the machine when off the track. It may be extended on either side as the occasion demands. When conveying the machine long distances, it is considered easier to push it on a track than on the ground, so that the combination of the barrow wheel with the railway wheels will make this machine very popular for work along railway track.

In case this tool is used on a live track, it can readily be wheeled off to permit the passing of a train and is readily put back again after the train has passed.

I claim:

1. In a tool of the class described, a frame adapted to ride on the rail of a track, a plurality of track engaging flanged rollers longitudinally spaced along said frame, and an unilanged wheel mounted upon said frame and normally aligned with and overlying the rail on which the flanged rollers ride, the lowest portion of said wheel being positioned above the level of the rail when both the flanged rollers engage the rail, and handle means associated with said frame, whereby said frame may be tilted to bring said wheel into contact with a supporting surface, said frame being provided at one end with an upwardly extending handle portion and at the other with an upwardly extending portion to which said wheel is pivoted, the axes of said wheel and said flanged rollers being parallel.

2. In a tool of the class described, a frame, a supporting wheel for said frame, said frame including a forward portion upon which said wheel is mounted, handle means for said frame, whereby it may be employed as a barrow, a power plant on said frame, a flexible shaft associated with said power plant, an operating tool adapted to be operated by said ilexible shaft and ilexible therewith, and mounted on the end thereof, and supporting means upon said frame, forward of said wheel, for supporting said tool and shaft, when they are out of use, with said too] positioned on the opposite side of the axis of rotation of the wheel from the power plant.

3. In a tool of the class described, a frame, means for supporting said frame upon one rail of a track, tool actuating means on said frame, and a tool adapted to be actuated by said means, and a telescoping extension from said frame to the opposite rail of said track, including` one telescopic member xied in relation to said frame,

member.

4. In a tool of the class described, a frame, means for supporting said frame upon one rail of a track, tool actuating means on said frame, and a tool adapted to be actuated by said means, and a telescoping extension from said frame to the opposite rail of said track, including one telescopic member fixed in relation to said frame, and aV second telescopic member penetrating the rst telescopic member and slidable in relation thereto, and a raill engaging means associated with the outer end of said second telescopic member, and means for securing said second telescopic member in extended position and in retracted positio-n with the opposite ends of said telescopic members substantially in balance.

5. In a track working tool, a frame including a central portion adapted to be aligned over one rail of Ia track, flanged rollers rotatably mounted upon said central portion, a wheel support projecting upwardly fromv the forward endof said central portion, a barrow wheel rotatably mounted on said upwardly projecting portion, said barrow wheel lying in the vertical planey of the rail engaged by said flanged rollers, and a handle portion extending upwardly from the end of the frame opposite to the barrow wheel the axes of said barrow wheel and said flanged rollers being parallel.

6. In a track working tool, a frame including a central portion adapted to be aligned over one CII rail of a track, flanged rollers rotatably mounted .Y

upon said central portion, a wheel support projecting upwardly from the forward end of said central portion, a barrow wheel rotatably mounted on said upwardly projecting portion, said barrow wheel lying in the vertical plane of the rail engaged by said ilanged rollers, and a handle portion extending upwardly from the end of the frame opposite to the barrow wheel the axes of said barrow wheel and said flanged rollers being parallel, said vbarrow wheel, when the flanged rollers are engaged with the rail, being out of contact with the rail.

7. In a track working tool, a frame, means for supporting said frame upon one rail of a track, including a pair of ilanged rollers longitudinally spaced along said rail, a platform on said frame, mounted intermediate said rollers, a handle extending upwardly from one end of said frame, an extension upwardly from the opposite end of said frame, and a single barrow wheel rotatably mounted on said extension, the diameter of said barrow wheel substantially exceeding the diameter of the flanged rollers, the axes of rotation of the flanged rollers and the barrow wheel being parallel, the barrow wheel and the rollers being longitudinally aligned in the vertical plane of the rail upon which the flanged rollers ride.

8. In a track working tool, a frame, means for supporting said frame upon one rail of a track, including a pair of flanged rollers longitudinally spaced along said rail, arplatform on said frame, mounted intermediate said ro1lers,a handle extending upwardly from one end of said frame, an

extension upwardly from the opposite end of said frame, and a single barrow Wheel rotatably mounted on said extension, the diameter of said barrow Wheel substantially exceeding the diameter of the flanged rollers, the axes of rotation of the flanged rollers and the barrow Wheel being parallel, the barrow wheel and the rollers being longitudinally aligned in the vertical plane of the rail upon which the lianged rollers ride, the lowest portion of said barrow wheel, when the lianged rollers are in supporting contact with the rail, being spaced slightly upwardly from the surface of the rail.

9. In a track working tool, a frame, means for supporting said frame upon one rail of a track, including a pair of flanged rollers longitudinally spaced along said rail, a platform on said frame, mounted intermediate said rollers, a handle extending upwardly from one end of said frame, an extension upwardly from the opposite end of said frame, anda single barrow wheel rotatably mounted on said extension, the diameter of said barrow wheel substantially exceeding the diameter of the flanged rollers, the axes of rotation of the flanged rollers and the barrow wheel being parallel, the barrow wheel and the rollers being longitudinally aligned in the vertical plane of the rail upon which the flanged rollers ride, a power plant mounted upon said platform, for free rotation, in relation to said frame, about a generally vertical axis, a iiexible transmission extending from said power plant, a tool mounted upon said flexible transmission and flexible freely therewith, and a support for said tool mounted upon the barrow mounted on said extension, the diameter of said barrow wheel substantially exceeding the diameter of the flanged rollers, the axes of rotation of the flanged rollers and the barrow wheel being parallel, the barrow wheel and the rollers being longitudinally aligned in the vertical plane of the rail upon which the flanged rollers ride, a power plant mounted upon said platform, for rotation, in relation to said frame, about a generally vertical axis, a flexible transmission extending from said power plant, a tool mounted upon said iiexible transmission and flexible freely therewith, and a support for said tool mounted upon the barrow wheel supporting extension of the frame at a point outwardly beyond said barrow wheel.

HENRY H. TALBOYS. 

